EXPLORING MUSLIMS’ DIASPORIC IDENTITIES: A TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF SHAMSIE’S NOVEL HOME FIRE (2017) FROM HALL’S (1996) PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The present study explores Muslims’ diasporic identities in Shamsie’s novel Home Fire (2017) under the theoretical lens of Stuart Hall’s critical essay “Cultural Identity and Diaspora” (1996). Via close textual analysis, the study unsnarls that British nationals, the Pasha siblings ,displays a constant effort to get reunited with the past, simultaneously on other level, their identities became the part of the play which Halls (1996) calls the play of power and owing to the phenomenon “European Presence” everywhere.  The British shows their extreme racial and islamophobic attitude, owing to that, the characters suffer a constant refusal of recognition consequently Aneeka strategically reverts to more defensive identity. She remains in a pre-marital relationship yet she is a staunchly strict follower of religious duties and rituals, Pervaiz Pasha became a staunch fundamentalist like his father. However, Isma proved her loyalties to British State, yet her brother was branded as “Pervy Pasha”, the family as “Knickers” and Aneeka as an accomplice to her terrorist brother and a sexual player. Halls (1996) notions are confirmed that no matter how hard the diaspora tries to get assimilated in the culture, they are always refused as in Shamsi’s narrative, even the dead body of Pervaiz Pasha was not brought to his home in England rather sent to his origin Pakistan and hashtags like “#GOBACKWHEREYOUCAMEFROM” (Shamsie, 2017, p.190) started trending on social media as a clear evidence of refusal and rejection of recognition to the diasporic members.